Four Roses Black Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 700ml

It began when Paul Jones, Jr., the founder of Four Roses Bourbon, became smitten by the beauty of a Southern belle. It is said that he sent a proposal to her, and she replied that if her answer were “Yes,” she would wear a corsage of roses on her gown to the upcoming grand ball. Paul Jones waited for her answer excitedly on that night of the grand ball…when she arrived in her beautiful gown, she wore a corsage of four red roses. He later named his Bourbon “Four Roses” as a symbol of his devout passion for the lovely belle, a passion he thereafter transferred to making his beloved Four Roses Bourbon.

Only Four Roses combines two mash bills with five proprietary yeast strains to create ten distinct bourbon recipes. Each recipe brings something different to the batch – and carefully mingling them allows us to achieve an endless range of flavour profiles to please any bourbon lover. Two unique grain recipes are used, one with 60% corn, and the other with 75% corn. They are both combined with limestone-rich water from the spring-fed Salt River in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky and cooked to perfection to protect the delicate flavours of each grain.

Four Roses also uses 5 original and proprietary yeast strains — each producing uniquely different, rich flavours. With the combination of 2 mash bills and 5 proprietary yeasts, ten uniquely different Bourbon recipes are made.

Ten Recipes. Unlimited Flavour. Each recipe name is composed of four letters identifying its production facility, mash bill, distillation process and yeast strain. The first letter is always O, designating the distillation at Four Roses Distillery. The second letter designates the mash bill. Each has a different ratio of corn, rye, and malted barley. The third letter is always S, designating it as straight whiskey. The fourth letter identifies the proprietary yeast strain. Each creates unique flavours.

The ten recipes are as follows: OBSV - Delicate fruit and rye, OBSK - Rye and baking spice, OBSO - Rich fruit, OBSQ - Rye and light floral character, OBSF - Delicate rye and mint, OESV - Delicate fruit and caramel, OESK - Baking spice, OESO - Rich fruit and vanilla, OESQ - Delicate grains and floral character, OESF - Light grain and mint.

Four Roses Black Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon is one of two Four Roses products that are sold only in Japan, with the other being Four Roses Super Premium. While this may seem odd, it is important to note that in February 2002, the Kirin Brewery Company of Japan purchased the Four Roses brand trademark from Diageo.

Available only in the Japanese market, Four Roses Black Label is a blend of 1/2 OE and 1/2 OB mash bills and is a blend of bourbons aged up to 10 years.

Floral with a hint of char on the nose and a buttery sweet chocolate palate with hints of melon and spiced oak to finish, we can see how many of the deep and layered flavours would be complimentary to Japanese cuisine and whilst it tastes unlike any other four roses bourbons we have tasted it is still has characteristics that make it unmistakable.

The Finer Details
Style - Bourbon
Country - United States
Bottle Size - 700ml
ABV - 40%